DC Prime: Robins
by DC Prime Universe
Summary: Part of the DC Prime Universe: Being a teenager is hard, and when you've got to compete with 3 older brothers and a father who is never pleased. For Damian Wayne life is as hard as it ever is going to be and the only way to survive in the Bat Family is to learn from your predecessors. Damian draws his distant brothers together and in order to learn and be the best Robin he can be.
1. Chapter 1

**Robins**

**Issue 1 By RoninReviews**

**Legacy Boys**

* * *

**(This story is set before the events of Red Hood and the Outlaws and after Teen Titans Go!)**

**Tomorrow 19:30 PM, Al Ghul's Assassin City**

The huge Gorilla wields his knife with deadly precision, his nimble Ape hands spin the blade left and right like a ticking clock. Time is running out. Jason only has mere hours before his blood becomes cancerous and he succumbs to Talia's poison. He arm aches, his face bruised and that # %^ing Gorilla won't stop smiling like a # ^&ing creep.

Tim Drake's bullet wound isn't healing cleanly. The infected wound seeps blood as he stumbles through the dark jungle. Rain pours across his face, he tears at his wound, the pain is becoming too much to handle. The excruciating pain bleeds him. He trips over a turned up root and falls face flat in a pile of mud.

He sputters out the sloppy dirt but as he tries to get to his feet, the slippery muck pulls him down again. He tries again but fails. He aches all over, the puss from his wound sticks to his hand like tape. Suddenly, he vomits a gross pale blue concoction all over his arms and onto the mucky ground. He writhes in agony till out of the corner of his eye he sees a glimpse of white.

Through the drenched green he sees a single white feather float slowly from the ground, resting its dainty frame on a pile of muck. Tim's eyes widen, his stomach turns, he freezes with fear. It has returned. The angel of death has returned.

Dick Grayson's fists pummel once again into the face of his father, his teeth snap before his eyes, his jaw dislodges, his eye blackens. Blood spurts from his face. "NOT REAL! NOT REAL!" He cries but to no avail. No one hears but his mother who holds the sword of the Assassins in her bloodied palm and prepares to kill her son with it.

Damian's small body falls slowly, gently through the river of red. Like a meteorite through the clear night sky he makes a wish. A wish to forget the things he's seen today. A wish to un-see the murder of everything he holds dear. His ideals, his mind, his hopes and dreams all crushes in under 24 hours.

The day has flashesed past in a blaze of painful glory and now his death seems to be taking a life time. The thick blood fills his lungs. His body broken. He falls. Drowns.

* * *

**Today 10:32 AM Dicks Grayson's Gotham apartment.**

Dick is frying up breakfast for himself and Damian Wayne, son of Batman. The two are dressed casually. Damian sits cross legged on a chair behind at the dining room table clacking away at a laptop. The apartment is messy with clothes, DVDs and an assortment of Dick's possessions. The 10 o'clock morning light drifts through the open window giving the apartment glows on the walls and objects.

Dick Grayson: You know that robins are cannibals right?

Damian: As are most birds, Dick.

Dick Grayson: What I mean is that if you put us in a room together we'll eat each other.

Damian: Dick Grayson, I am the right full heir to the throne of Batman and if I am to be a successful Batman I must first become a successful Robin and there are 4 people on earth who would know anything about teaching that.

Dick: Then go to them individually not have us work together. Listen if you need help handling Bruce-

Damian: I don't want your help Grayson. I have it all planned out, each Robin has something that the others don't and each are missing something that the others do.

Dick: So it's one of those days.

Damian: What?

The omelettes sizzle away in the pan and are almost cooked, Dick reaches over to flip the bacon.

Dick: You're becoming Bruce y'know that.

Damian: Excellent, it's working already.

Dick: No, I mean, Bruce's less than... sane moments.

In one brisk movement Dick flops the omelette on to a plate each and then wraps the bacon in each omelette. He spins round and puts each plate on the table.

Damian: What are you babbling about? Bruce is sane. I checked him myself.

Dick: Well he's like... he's not... he can be harsh.

Damian: I should think so, he's training me to be the next batman, not a reality TV star.

Dick: Bruce, he's... it's hard to explain but he's not the best father. He's stubborn and, strict. Damain, I care allot about you, when we were partners you meant the world to me and I want you to know that. When I wasn't worried about me being Batman I was worried that you'd get hurt-

Damian: Silence, Dick. I... I enjoyed crusading with you, also.

The brothers enjoy their breakfast, above the darkness of the streets.

* * *

**12: 30 PM Metropolis, Burger Shack**

Jason Todd: Welcome to Burger Shack, what's the time? Burger o'clock.

The morning sun rises upon the small restaurant with cars trundling lazily by. Jason Todd is dressed in a red shirt with a silly cap with the Burger Shack logo printed on it, his name tag reads Will Isaac's. Jason's face is limp and bruised. Cheap plasters cover cuts over his nose, cheeks and chin. He doesn't care.

Jason died. None of his co workers suspect that he fought some of Gotham's darkest minds and won. They don't know that he's currently wanted for murder under the name Red Hood and that he's wanted dead by some of the most dangerous criminal organisations across the globe. No one knows what's on the other side of life other than the young man working in Burger Shack. A fat tall balding man stands at the other side of the counter. His eyes are strangely green.

Customer: Yeah get me a cheese burger with that sauce and um.

Jason: Is that as a meal or to take out?

Customer: Take out.

Jason: Take out... Would you like fries with that?

Customer: I uh... oh what am I doing?

The fat man tears of his skin to reveal a large steel body, he has a large green skull like helmet and his chest opens up to reveal a Kryptonite heart. He is Metallo. He starts making his ways for Jason but he vaults over the Goliath as he unleashes an energy blast that levels about half of the restaurants. On instinct Jason grabs a metal baseball bat from under the counter and cracks Metallo across the face with it.

Metallo is stunned but regains himself within a second. He looks back to see Jason gone. Metallo roars and starts to tear through machinery as he tramples the kitchen area. He sees the door of the store cupboard swing a little, he slowly makes his way for it. As his foot reaches store cupboard he notices the ground in covered in oily grease. A bullet soars out of nowhere and a large explosive ensues covering Metallo in heavy amounts of cooking oil and throwing him out of the restaurant and onto the street.

Cars to swerving away from him. Small flames hang to the side of his damaged metallic body. He stands to his full size stars smacking cars out of his way to reach the now flaming Burger Shack restaurant. Metallo powers up his hand cannon to fire into the rubble of the burning restaurant only for him to suddenly hear a low rumbling sound. Out of the flames and wreckage leaps a mechanical stallion ridden by Jason Todd now wearing his Red Hood Helmet and Jacket.

The bike hits Metallo over the face as it rides away from the destruction. Metallo turns ready to fire his hand cannon at Jason only for him to turn around and fire a bullet at Metallo causing another explosion due to the cooking oil his body is doused in. Whilst the huge robot is blinded, Jason takes his opportunity to leave. He reaches for his Phone and quickly taps in a number as he speeds along the road.

Jason: Hi. Tim, its Jay. Can I get a lift?

* * *

**15:33 PM Vancouver, Canada**

Jason: and that's how I escaped my 3rd assassination attempt.

Tim Drake: Pretty sweet Jay. You thinkin' of taking up Bruce's offer then?

Jason: Nah. I don't really want to see him ever again. I don't really want any more of that life.

Tim: Then what type of life do you want?

Jason: I don't know. I've let way to much of my life just happen to me. I need to start making my own decisions, be my own person. I can't go back to being part of Bruce's club house. I can't just bum around any longer. I need to do something. I was hoping Metropolis would be a good place to start but y'know.

Tim and Jason sit on a comfy couch in the messy back stage lounge to the concert, each are smoking joints. Tim's band members lounge around eating pizza or playing Flappy Bird. The strumming of electric guitars can be heard muffled but still potent from the stage.

Tim: C'mon tour with us then.

Jason: Ah no man.

Tim: Seriously. We could use some extra help around here. Security or whatever. I can't be on guard 100% of the time. Hang out for a couple of weeks. It'll be fun.

Jason (Takes a drag): Seriously? Alright.

Tim: Great. This'll really help man. Balancing stuff like the Titans and Batman stuff with touring is becoming a really hassle.

Jason: I think you're on.

Tim: Mhm.

Tim puts out his joint in an ash tray and reaches for his guitar. His band begin to rise from their seats.

Tim: C'mon gang. Let's melt some faces.

* * *

**19:07 PM Base Book, The Internet**

Damian pops up on the Robins Base Book chat group.

Damian: Brothers. It has come to my attention that because of our current departure from each other that it could be beneficial to each other if when faced with a threat that one of us cannot handle alone, and do not wish my Father to be aware of, that we could potentially help each other fix that problem, together as brothers of Justice.

5 minutes later Tim replies.

Tim: You're joking right?

Damian: I am not, Drake. Are you to tell me that you have never done anything that you wouldn't want my father or any of the other Heroes to be aware of?

Tim: No but I mean us, working together? I can't remember the last time we've been in a room together and not ended up at each other's throats.

Dick Grayson finishes his battle with a group of Gorilla Assassins in Bludhaven and joins the chat.

Dick: That's what I said but I genuinely think this is a good idea. It'll give us a chance to bond more. I think this is important.

Jason: Yeah. Lets do it.

Damian: Wow Jason really?

Jason: Yes. I've actually got something I need help with.

Dick: Wow.

Tim: Yeah.

Jason: Shut up alright. Yeah I'm asking for help.

Dick: If you need help why didn't you tell us earlier Jay?

Jason: Why do you think? I don't want Bruce getting involved.

Tim: What do you need help with?

Jason: They've been hunting me down for the past few months since I escaped their control with you guys help.

We need to go to the head of the Demon. And cuts its goddamn tongue out.

* * *

**Next Issue: Assassins. What happens... tomorrow?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Robins Issue 2**

**Legacy Boys Part 2**

**By RoninReviews**

* * *

"The Fang That Protects The Head."

Damian Wayne hates Gotham City. He hates the smell of the rotting flesh and overflowing gutters. He hates the pollution that rises from the city every day and hangs in the sky like a horrid blanket. He hates the rats that roam the streets and he hates the gangs that roam the streets even more. He hates the fried crap being served up every day by scurvy stricken street vendors and most of all he hates the poor. They wallow in their own filth like pigs in a sty and eventually eat or murder or rape or steal from each other. The life expectancy rate in Gotham City is 30 years old; Damian wishes it were lower.

Damian glares out of the blacked out window of his father's 3rd Limo on his way home from school watching the perpetually drunk teens waddle the streets with smiles on their faces whilst wishing they were dead.

Is this better than what life was before? Living in a state of fear and trying not to show it at all times. Living in fear of his mother and trying his hardest to impress her and live up to her monumentally high expectations. Training every single day, felling nothing but pain, fear, and disappointment for 10 years. Is that better than this? No; but he still hates Gotham City. One day he will become the Batman and he will rid the City of scum by any means necessary, never mind the cost, never mind the pain, never mind the fear...

Gotham City, Midnight

Dick Grayson dressed in his Nightwing suit, cracks his Escrima stick across the face of a large well-fed hood. The beast feels the full force of the blow as tiny slivers of lightening bounce across the stick as it makes contact. The kinetic energy held in the stick is then thrown into the face of another well deserving crook, who's nose is broken as well as most of his teeth being snapped in two; it feels like gravel in his mouth. Dick's is then stomped down on the face of another crook, who makes a rather clumsy stab at the athletic ninja before being punished for his lack of basic combat training.

They have been taught well by a master but will learn nothing. In a brisk flip kick snap movement Dick uses the nylon grappling rope, inside his Escrima sticks, to wrap up each of his enemies ankles. Before they can retaliate, Dick is already at the top of a street lamp and is pulling the group up. Once at the top he ties up the Escrima sticks in a Snapdragon Knot and leaves them for the Police. He arrives at the top of a nearby building to see a kid dressed in a Halloween Robin outfit. The kid can't be older than 13 and with an acne-ridden face, curly ginger hair and his costume not even fitting properly; he holds a duffle bag over his shoulder.

"Uhh… can I help you?" Nightwing asks bewildered by the situation.

"I'm actually here to, uh, help you sir," The kid replies. "Sorry for being late, it's my first night."

"Your first night?" Nightwing asks even more bewildered this time.

"Yeah, I'm a Robin."

"_You're_ a Robin?"

"You don't know about this?" The kid asks.

"No? Is this a joke? Is this going on the internet or something?"

"I can assure you it's not. I'm part of the Robins Organisation set up by... I guess Batman, we operate on call and are available as allies to Batman or his allies to give assistance." The kid speaks with a strange amount of confidence; he's been trained to do this.

"So it's a joke then?"

"It's really not."

"Whom do you report to?"

"To be honest, I've never actually met an actual Robin before, I got a text message saying there is a someone that may need assistance at the top of my building so... here we are."

"Who texted you?" Nightwing's tone has become more serious as he has taken a taller stance than before.

"It's a withheld number but the sender id name is RR."

"Oh for god sake!" Nightwing exclaims.

"Wha-"

"How long have you been a 'Robin'?" Dick uses the sarcastic phonetics when saying the word "Robin."

"Uh, like 3 weeks. My friend Tyler told me about it and I wanted to join."

"Urgh... you are so dead, Tim." Nightwing whispers angrily.

"So... can I give you any assistance?"

"What's in the bag?"

The kid opens the bag revealing a first aid kit, protein bars, assorted fruit, 3 bottles of water, a ham sandwich, a tetanus shot, a defibrillator and a winter coat.

"Alright, go back to bed, quit this whole thing you're doing with the Robins and stuff and gimme that bottle of water and the ham sandwich. If I ever catch you doing this again, I will..." Dick wags his finger at the kid

"Arrest me?"

"I- no..."

"What I'm doing isn't illegal."

"You're assisting a masked vigilante."

"You **are** a vigilante."

"You could get hurt." Nightwing is getting aggravated.

"So could you," The kid replies.

"I'm an adult with training!" Nightwing erupts.

"What the hell are you doing, Nightwing?" A voice enters the scene causing both Nightwing and the kid to spin around abruptly. They see 11-year-old Damian Wayne strut across the rooftop towards the two.

"Dam- Robin?! What're you doing here?" Nightwing exclaims.

"You're late to our meeting," Damian replies.

"Wait, let me get this straight," The kid interrupts. "You just recognised him as a Robin and yet he is obviously way younger than me."

"..." Nightwing's eye twitches slightly in anger.

"So I am a Robin then—urk." The kid pridefully grins at Nightwing till he is hit in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Nightwing turns to see Damian holding a blow dart between his lips.

"... What? He was getting annoying." Damian says obviously.

"Let's just get going."Nightwing grumbles.

Elsewhere in Gotham City

Tim Drake (Red Robin), Jason Todd (Red Hood) laze around on a rooftop till Dick and Damian arrive swinging onto the rooftop silently.

"What took you guys so long?" Tim asks.

"Hey! You! We need to talk about this!" Nightwing shouts at Tim.

"Whoa, whoa, hold your horses," Tim says. "Do you have The Talking Bat-a-rang?"

"The what?!" Nightwing asks once again completely bewildered.

"The Talking Bat-a-rang." Tim holds up a Bat-a-rang. "I hold the Talking Bat-a-rang, so I get to talk."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"That's the rules. Anyway, Jason is giving out the first mission so he gets the Bat-a-rang now." Tim passes The Talking Bat-a-rang over to Jason.

"Since returning from the grave, 3 years ago, I was under Talia Al Ghul's control as her assassin and after Batman and you guys broke me out, I have been on the run from her assassins across the globe. Wherever I go I'm followed.

I've been able to hold them off until now since the attack in Metropolis I can't take it anymore. She's becoming more ruthless, and more and more civilians are getting caught in the crossfire. We need to find her and put a stop to this. She is only going to come back to attack us again and again and Bruce is going to do nothing to stop it. I'm going to kill her for what she did to me. I can't keep running. I've been running for too goddamn long."

"You are not going to kill my mother. If anyone is going to kill my Mother it will be my Father."

"That's not going to happen." Jason snaps

"Then it shall be me."

"I'm out then," Nightwing states. "I'm not going to murder anyone or be involved in murder."

"Ditto." Tim replies.

"It'd actually be worse if we were to tear her empire away from her. Take the entire thing down around her head. That for her is a way worse punishment than death," Damian says.

"But how on Earth are we going to pull this off. We'll need an army. We don't even know where she is. We don't even know where Nandaparbat is."

"I do," Damian says. "She'll let me in and then we take it all from her! Oh this is so much fun." Damian grins from ear to ear.

"We can't just hand you over to her," Tim replies.

"Aww you worried about me, Drake?"

"No, but then what? She lets you in then what's going to happen?"

"You get captured."

2 Hours later, Belle Reve

Dressed in his old Police uniform from his time as a Cop in Bludhaven, Dick Grayson reaches the door to the huge monolith like prison after passing through each of 13 checkpoints on the way in. His story; he is there to question the prisoner known as John Corben a.k.a Metallo for his involvement with the Red Hood, an assassin Detective Grayson has had experience with.

Tim and Damian have been hacking the prisons' systems from external devices allowing Dick to easily enter the prison without any trouble.

Dick enters the interrogation room, huge and expansive with a huge rotating door on the roof facing diagonally to the room. Dick sits at a small table in the middle of the room and waits. Five minutes later he hears a loud whirring and the huge revolving door on the diagonal ceiling rotates to reveal Metallo who is attached to massive arm and leg braces, his Kryptonite core has been taken away.

"Hello, John," Dick asks calmly. "I'm here to ask some questions about your employer."

"I am Metallo," Metallo grumbles in his mechanical tones. "Call me Metallo."

"Very well, Metallo, I'd like to ask who you where ordered by to assassinate the Red Hood by?" Dick asks.

"I don' know. I found the Money in my apartment and I was told I'd get the rest after the assassination. I met with a guy outside of Metropolis in a bar who gave me the parts I needed for my... current upgrade."

"What did he look like?"

"I didn't really get to see his face; wore a hat and long coat, has white hard skin, talked like a comic book super villain. Rather extravagant. Had a Japanese accent. Didn't tell me his name other than he represented the League of Assassins. Definitely insane; gave me the parts and then drove off in one of them real old Rolls Royce."

"Do you have any way to contact him?"

"No."

After half an hour of questioning Dick Grayson leaves the room. He hands over the information he's gathered to the prison guards whom in turn hand it to the Police force. All the Robins re group in a Burger Shack, (a different one) to the description of Metallo's informant. Damian is tossing aside the jalapeños from his burger decisively. Dick is reading the local newspaper and Jason rolling a cigarette.

"Urgh, I'm getting terrible signal here." Tim sighs.

"Really? That's odd," said Dick. "You're using the newest mode of Wayne tech device next to a heavily populated city."

"Yeah it's like something is messing with my signal. Weird, huh? I do hope it's not some weird super villain threat that is somehow connected to our current mission thingy," Tim says sarcastically.

"That'd be inconvenient, huh?" Jason replies, continuing the joke.

"My, I wonder if it could be coming from somewhere in this restaurant," Dick continues.

"Could it be that gentleman in the large trench coat at that table?" Damian points at a man in a long trench coat sitting in the corner of the room.

The man cautiously looks up to see the Robins all-looking at him.

"Oh no..." the man whispers.

Outside Burger Shack

Damian throws the old man to the ground, through the back doors of the Restaurant. He collapses in a pile of dirt and looks up to see Damian cracking his knuckles surrounded by the rest of the Robins. The man is about mid 50s with a greying rescinding hairline and prominent cheekbones. His skinny frame makes for an easy throw.

"Talk while you still can," Damian orders.

"Jeeze, was that the best you had?" Jason cringes as he lights his cigarette.

"I'll talk, ok? I just needed to get your attention. You didn't have to throw me ok?" The man whimpers. "Now it's all ruined."

"Why? What's ruined?" Dick asks.

"I was trying to warn you. I had to block the signal to make sure that the wire they had on me wasn't going to pick me up trying to talk to you guys."

Jason reaches into his trench coat and shouts in a stereotypically Italian accent, "Eyh! Dis guy's wearin a wiah!"

"Shhhhh!" The man stammers glancing around in a paranoid frenzy. "They'll be onto me now and you. I was going to ask you guys that if you're going after the Assassins, try and get my daughter back.

She's been taken in and used as a hostage to keep me in line. I used to work for the MPD and I'm their primary informant in the Metropolis area." He pulls picture out of his trench coat and shows it to them. The picture is of a young girl dressed in a white dress at a wedding. "She has blonde hair with a white strike through it. If you see her get her out of their, her name is Sophie To-"

The man is suddenly cut off as his head explodes spraying brain all over the Robins. The Robins yell horrified except for Damian.

"No Japanese accent or hard white skin. It wasn't him," Damian says monotone while the Robins freak out about the brains all over their clothes. He crouches down and looks over the dead body. In the pile of grey matter he spies a tiny glint of metal. He reaches down and picks out a shard of a bullet.

"Sniper bullet. Possibly fired from an MP9 or a Military grade Rifle .943" Hit from a high altitude, possibly shot from directly ...up" Damian looks up to see a helicopter in the sky. After a second of watching he sees ropes being thrown from the side of the copter and men sliding down them.

"Incoming!" Damian yells as a barrage of gunfire starts crackling across the ground. The Robins scramble for cover when a grenade plops down next to them. They scatter again but most don't avoid the flash bag. Hazy the Robins try to keep moving whilst having their frontal lobes feeling like a volcanic eruption. Damian reaches the car park of the restaurant when he sees him.

The harbinger of death, the mercenary of the afterlife, the eternal dark, the sweetest kiss goodnight, the gracious, Lord Death Man. He strides forwards followed by an entourage of deadly assassins in his new gleaming white suit a .45 in each hand and a smirk across his skull face. His new dragon tattoos on his arms looks freaking awesome and so do his new leather gloves. God, he's such a cool guy. He's got like a pipe sticking out of his mouth, and yeah. He's just an all around badass basically. The Robins are totally screwed.

Lord Death Man closes the tomb like book and turns to you, the audience.

* * *

**"That's all for this week children, return to your lives but make sure you return next week to see how Lord Death Man strikes at the heart of the Bat-Family, The prodigal sons, The Robins. There's also some stuff with the League of Assassins, but it's mainly about Lord Death Man. Bwhahahahahahahahahhaaaahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"**


	3. Chapter 3

**Robins Issue 3**

**Legacy Boys Part 3 - Forged in Blood**

**By RoninReviews**

* * *

Bound, bleeding and kneeling on the white marble floor, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake all are beaten and bruised, their bare chests home the few rays of light that cascade upon them from the darkness. A mad paint brush flicker of scars across their bodies reveal a patchwork of pain and agony. Dick Grayson bites his lip hard as he slowly lifts his head up into the glaring light, towards his captors. He tries to make eye contact but there seems to be no eyes there anymore, blind to what he used to be, blind to who he is. Damian Wayne is no longer the Son of Batman, no longer the Boy Wonder.

He is Damian Al Ghul, Son of The Demon, The Prince of Assassins and he is about to fulfil his destiny and kill his Brothers and found a new Rome, a new Eden that must be forged in blood.

His Mother is so proud.

Lord Death Man is a bastard. No one likes him in the League of Assassins. Bronze Tiger hates the poison laced perfume he insists on wearing. Alpha hates the way he laughs at horror movies. Lady Shiva hates his taste in 15th Centaury swords and David Cane just hates everyone.

They're all hoping Lord Death Man gets his face stomped in but they know. They know he's going to take down the Robins and roll up into Nanda Parbat with a huge grin under his creepy mask and a spring in his step. They also know the Robins aren't going down without a fight.

* * *

**Outside Burger Shack, Metropolis**

A video game screen pulls up and a point rolls over each of the playable character, Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin and Robin. Robin is the only available character at the moment so he is selected automatically. The screen R wipes to a 8 bit format where a Damian Wayne stand holding his fists up. This level's boss Lord Death Man stands before Damian while surrounded by his Ninja henchmen. A bar comes across the top of the screen and Lord Death Man's dialogue begins to type itself out.

LORD DEATH MAN: BWHAHAHAHA. I AM EVIL. BATTLE MY HENCHMEN FIRST FOR WHATEVER REASON EVEN THOUGH I AM MORE POWERFUL THAN THEY ARE AND SHOULD PROBABLY JUST FIGHT YOU KNOW. BWAHAHA.

Lord Death Man's character leaps out of the way as the digital 8 Bit action sound track begins to play. The Henchmen begin to close in but Damian's sprite leaps into the air and does a double X aerial attack that stuns two of the henchmen, little white birds circle their heads, obviously. While stunned Damian unleashes a few light attacks to weaken them slightly and then moves onto the other Henchmen which he uses his longer ranged and more powerful attack, the Staff Swipe.

He knocks both henchmen back to the edge of the screen with this attack and proceeds to do the same Staff Swipe attack on the other two henchmen which manages to them vanish and produce small hearts. Damian is the struck down by a henchman hitting Damian with his Katana depleting one of his lives. Damian quickly recovers from the attack and jumps over to the heart absorbing it replenishing his health by one point.

Damian fights through 3 waves of enemies before Lord Death Man returns to the screen. His dialogue box starts again.

LORD DEATH MAN: NOW! FACE ME BOY WONDER!

The Boss music starts playing and Damian is about to go for his shuriken attack when he hears a loud gunshot ring through the air and Lord Death Man fall to his knees.

"Jason!" Dick cries. "What the hell?!"

"Oh calm down Drama Dick. Do you even know anything about this guy? His whole deal is that he regenerates and comes back from the death." Jason snarks.

"Yeah well you can't just go around shooting off guns like a mad man!" Dick shouts. "It's not part of the code!"

"Can we just remember you had no problem with Bruce murdering those Talons in cold blood because they weren't alive and could heal? Same exact deal with this guy!" Jason yells and points to the Lord Death Man.

"Uh why didn't you help me during that fight back there?" Damian asks. The Robins all turn to look at each other.

"I dunno. We didn't want to spoil your fun." Dick shrugs. "You were doing fine."

"Tt, Good point. I was and I would have." Damian replies.

* * *

**Nanda Parbat**

Alpha, Bronze Tiger, Shrike and Lady Shiva watch the battle take place on a monitor in the underground city of Nanda Parbat on a large monitor transmitting from a nearby security camera.

"Wow I did not see that coming." Alpha jokes.

"Todd was trained to be an efficient killer by us Alpha, do not be surprised by his, how you say, trigger happy?" Bronze Tiger snarls. He turns around to face the darkness behind them.

"My lady, The Robins has evaded capture, what's our next move?" Bronze Tiger asks.

Out of the darkness steps Talia Al Ghul, she glares at the computer screen and licks her lips before saying.

"Let him see the light. Let him see the Gorgon."

* * *

**Metropolis, Burger Shack**

The shriek of Police sirens can be heard from blocks away.

"Cops, let's get out of here." says Jason.

The Robins begin to head for the car park when a Ninja lurches forwards and grabs Damian by the leg.

"Hey get off me!" Damian shouts.

"See the Light of the Gorgon eye!" The Ninja splutters before collapsing again. Those words stop Damian right in his tracks and he stands stock still.

Noticing Damian isn't with them Dick turns back to call for Damian.

"Hey Damian, what're you doing? C'mon we gotta go!"

"The Eye of the Gorgon." Damian says in a completely monotone.

"What're you talking about Damian? We gotta go!"

Damian quickly reaches for his pocket and retrieves a small blow dart holder; he then blows out 3 that stick into each of the Robins' necks, causing them to quickly spaz out before collapsing to the floor.

"A New Eden Forged in Blood."

* * *

**6 Years ago, League of Assassins Tokyo Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan**

Damian Wayne's katana spangs against another as his Mother's ninja descend upon him in a hoard of attacks. 5 Years old his skills as a fighter already surpass those of many adults who have trained for years.

He summersaults backwards out of the way of a killing blow. He kicks the jaw out of a Ninja closing in behind him splattering teeth and blood across the room. He swivels around on the ball of his foot and swipes his sword across the feet of the Ninja knocking him to the ground and slicing through a lot of bone and muscle tissue as he does.

A barrage of strikes and swipes descend upon him from another Ninja who seems to be driven in a focused deadly rage. Damian blocks every blow connecting at every point and making enough room for himself, the Ninja becomes quickly exhausted allowing for Damian to cut his hand off.

The Ninja falls to the floor, the others are hesitant to return to the battle as Damian stands there with blood down his little white Kimono.

The battle is about to resume when he hears a low clapping sound coming from the hallway. Talia Al Ghul enters the room.

"Well done my child. You're improving by the day. You're father would be so proud." She praises.

Damian kneels down before his Mother and holds his katana out towards his Mother as a sign of respect.

"Rise Damian."

He gets to his feet and looks up into his Mother's eyes.

"Mother. I must ask. When will I meet my Father? You speak of him like some sort of deity that I must strive to be like."

"You are not just going to meet your Father Damian. You are going to kill him. That is your final trial of to join the League."

"Kill my Father? But you speak so highly of him and what're these trials you speak of?"

"The Trails first, talk of your father will come later. The Trials are what all Assassins must go through to become a fully fledged member of the League. At the end of the Trials the Assassin must kill their own Father or Mother or loved one to prove their full devotion."

"And all Assassins must do this?"

"All. Every One. The final threshold you must pass to achieve your full potential."

"Who did you kill to join the League?"

"Don't ask silly questions my Son. I killed my Mother."

Damian looks at her shocked.

"It had to be done Damian. Just like you will have to kill your Father."

"But you speak so highly of my Father why have me kill him? Why not persuade him to join us? Why can't we live together?" Damian asks.

Talia bends down and puts her hands on Damian's face.

"Because, Damian, a true warrior must be Forged in Blood."

She gets up and goes to leave the room.

"Your Trials will start soon, Damian. Train hard or you will fail."

Damian looks to the Ninjas as he hears the door to the training room close. The battle resumes.

* * *

**Nanda Parbat, Now**

Talia walks through a large tower followed by Lady Shiva who walks along beside her.

"I'm glad you've returned to us Miss Shiva. Your skills have always been of the highest calibre but I am surprised you have decided to join our ranks once again."

"The League are my family Miss Ghul. I just needed time away."

"Time away from him?"

Talia signals to the shooting range that David Cane is currently in. He is blasting holes in various different targets at once one handed, he seems to realise they're watching him even with the loud gun shots and with his earmuffs on. He turns his head and grins at Shiva. Shocked she quickly turns away.

"No, this has nothing to do with him." Shiva insists.

"Very well. We must go. The Trials are about to start."

Talia and Shiva walk through a door out into a large balcony, looking down on a stadium type grounds with a huge circle of fire all around the circular stadium.

Two young men stand naked before the League of Assassins, both Japanese the identical twins are judged by Talia and her highest regarded Assassins. They look down upon the men from a large balcony in a Tower made of encrusted gold.

After a few short moments Talia stands and signals to the crowd watching the two men to be silenced. Hundereds of Assassins from around the world have gathered here today to watch two of the most worthy new talents in the Assassin world be granted membership to the League of Assassins. The Ceremony of the Aincent Trails are about to begin when Talia gets a phone call. She turns from the balcony to take the call.

"Yes? Who is it?" She asks.

"My Lady. The Robins have been captured. Damian has taken the psychic suggestion and taken down the rest of the Robins. We're transporting them to you know."

"Excellent." Talia smirks as she hangs up the phone call. The returns to the balcony and signals to the crowd again.

"My children. Today this ceremony has been made all the more special as I have just gained news of the return of my Son."

The crowd cheers in joy.

"And he is bringing with him 3 worthy opponents, who shall join Jao Plaz and Nao Plaz in their Trials. We shall resume the Trials in 3 hours. The Sons of Batman shall be ours my faithful. Today is our day. The day will be forged in blood." She announces this and the crowd goes wild, chanting, FORGED IN BLOOD over and over again. Talia smiles.

* * *

**Next Issue: The Trials Begin! Damian Wayne, Prince of Assassins?!**


End file.
